THE Kildare Branch’s Emma Dillon, the second of the two Irish Pony Club members to pass her A Test this year, had always set her sights on achieving the highest Pony Club award but, en route to doing so in September, she first qualified from UCD with a degree in Economics, Maths and Statistics.

“I did my B+ and H Tests before Covid, but then I concentrated on my Leaving Cert and after that college, so it was only this year that I really had time to even think about the A Test,” said Dillon, who recently wrote in The Irish Field of her experience working at the McEnery family’s Rossenarra Stud in Co Kilkenny.

The 23-year-old is currently drawing to the end of her first placement as part of the Irish Thoroughbred Breeders’ Association internship programme. At Rossenarra, having helped prep the stud’s yearlings and foals for the sales and now looking after the mares for the winter, she is using the handling skills required for the A Test.

When she moves on to Placements 2 and 3, working firstly with bloodstock agent Cathy Grassick (a director and chairperson of the ITBA) at Newtown Stud in Co Kildare and, after that, with the Thoroughbred Breeders’ Association in Newmarket, Emma will no doubt utilise her mathematical and statistical skills to a greater degree.

Before her studies really intervened, Dillon was, and still is, passionate about eventing and one of the two horses she brought with her to Ballylannigan House for test day was her mother Eleanor Wauchob’s traditionally-bred Thistletown Nordic Clover, a 13-year-old bay gelding by Nordic Region.

Emma Dillon and Thistletown Nordic Clover pictured at the eventing championships this year \ Brian Geisel/Sagittarian Photography

The combination had just the one Eventing Ireland start this season, finishing eighth of 18 – on their dressage score – in the EI100 (Amateur) championship at Kilguilkey in September. Back in 2021, however, they enjoyed a busy campaign, mainly at EI110 level, and completed the CCI1*-Intro at Kilguilkey.

Emma had three EI outings in 2024 on Eleanor’s Designer Swatch, their best result coming first day out at Crecora 2 in July, when they finished a close-up second to Heidi Brabazon and the Connemara gelding Blackfort Melody, who were to end the campaign as EI90 national champions. Unfortunately, Designer Swatch, a six-year-old Watermill Swatch mare bred by Emma’s father Hugh Dillon, went lame before the exam, so she borrowed a horse belonging to fellow event rider, Emma Egan.

While thanking her parents for their support in her decisions, Emma also paid credit to former international event rider now freelance instructor and young horse producer, Jane O’Flynn. “And I was in her yard every day during the summer,” said Dillon. “She was really helpful when it came to me taking the A Test.

“I know with the two placements coming up that I am going to be very busy next year, but I hope to do more coaching during the summer. I have coached the Kildares for the past few years and have also covered a couple of the Newcastle Lyons Branch’s camps. Now that I have the A Test, I have a direct entry route to the BHS (British Horse Society) exam system and I intend building on my coaching skills.”

When she moves back home after Christmas, Dillon hopes to start playing hockey again, a sport she enjoyed while studying at UCD, as she will have a little bit of spare time on her hands. “I’m just keeping the mare ticking over, while Clyde (Thistletown Nordic Clover) is doing some dressage and show jumping. I might take him to England with me next year, when I move to Newmarket, but nothing has been decided as yet.”